2026-09-21T18:59:27Z https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/125704 2026-02-03 col_2142_5131 col_2142_8800 com_2142_5130 com_2142_5132

application/pdf en text Submission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'U of I Access', the embargo will last until 2026-08-01 The student, Jerri Norris, accepted the attached license on 2024-07-09 at 07:57. The student, Jerri Norris, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2024-07-09 at 08:16. This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2024-07-10 at 15:29. DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #20997 on 2025-02-04 at 21:16:31 An exploration of the perceptions of socioeconomically marginalized students who persist in an institutionally driven scholarship program Norris, Jerri 2024-07-10 Mason, Curtis Mason, Curtis Baber, Lorenzo Ward Hood, Denice Pak, Yoon College Equity Need-based Grant Aid Persistence Socioeconomically Marginalized eng This qualitative study explored factors which socioeconomically marginalized community college students perceived impacted their ability to persist in an institutionally driven first-dollar grant aid program. Educational equity served as the theoretical framework. The conceptual base centered around a strengths-based orientation to student success. This study helps to fill a knowledge gap regarding first-dollar grant aid programs within a single public college. The study was conducted in a state college located in north Florida. State funding of grant aid is an important aspect of educational equity and can impact an institution’s budgeting for its socioeconomically marginalized students, so this dissertation includes contextual background on Florida’s legislative positionality regarding need-based aid. Six themes emerged from the study: aspirations and beliefs about the ability to succeed in college, commitment to goal, institutional supports, paying for college and life, sense of belonging, and time management. Major findings suggested that (a) recurring first dollar-aid, (b) having a dedicated program coordinator, (c) exposure to similar peer alumni, and (d) fostering a sense of belonging were perceived by students as powerful factors that impacted their ability to persist in college. 2024-08 Thesis https://hdl.handle.net/2142/125704 Copyright 2024 Jerri Norris Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp Educ Policy, Orgzn & Leadrshp University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Ed.D. Dissertation